Anti-Naxal strategy: Govt talks politics, BJP plans attack

NEW DELH: The government will stress upon political mobilisation in the Naxal areas at an all-party meeting called on Monday to build a broader national consensus on a uniform anti-Naxal strategy even as the BJP is expected to criticize the government’s ‘soft’ approach towards dealing with the problem.

At Monday’s meeting, convened at 5:30 pm, the government will advocate its two-pronged strategy of security and development related assistance to the Left-wing extremism affected states and add a new aspect of addressing the “political vacuum” in these areas. “Political mobilisation by mainstream political parties is necessary to wean local population away from the Maoists’ influence. We need to address primarily, the security vacuum, the development vacuum and the political vacuum in the worst-affected areas,” a home ministry official said.

All parties will be encouraged to conduct political activities in the Maoist areas of states like Chhattisgarh — which goes to polls soon — in the form of rallies and public meetings, and will be told that the states have been asked by the Centre to provide the best possible security to political workers and political programmes to avoid recurrence of incidents like the one which occurred in Chhattisgarh last month.

The government will also attempt to bring all parties on board for a strong security offensive against the Naxals in the tri-junction areas of Bastar. The parties will be informed that all Naxalaffected states have agreed on a uniform approach to tackle the Maoists through a national policy.

The Centre, however, expects criticism from the BJP after Congress spokespersons alleged that the BJP had done a conspiracy leading to the attack on the Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh last month that wiped out the party’s state leadership. The BJP could also accuse the Congress of politicising the issue on this count and raise recent reports that the NIA was allegedly suspecting an inside hand in the form of some Congress leaders in tipping off the Maoists.